Although innate immunity primarily combats systemic infections of opportunistic fungi such as Aspergillus and
Candida spp., acquired and protective immunoreactions were observed long ago in animal trials following sublethal systemic
infections caused by viable fungi or after challenging animals with inactivated fungal cells. Based on these observations,
fungal antigens should exist which mediate such protective immunoreactions and have in part already been identified.
In this context, this review focuses primarily on the various approaches that have been used to identify protectionmediating
Aspergillus-antigens and their rationale. Emphasis is placed on screening methods that have exploited genetic
or proteomic approaches on the basis of the corresponding fungal genome projects. Thereby, a survey and description is
given of the antigens so far known to be capable of inducing immune responses that protect animals against acquiring lethal
systemic aspergillosis.